


The Heart Wants What It Wants

by Glimmerystarlight



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Drunk Otabek, Multi, Mutual Pining, it started with a kiss, multi-chapter, slowburn ish
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-07
Updated: 2017-08-30
Packaged: 2018-12-12 12:25:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11737005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glimmerystarlight/pseuds/Glimmerystarlight
Summary: JJ has a crush on Yuri....Yuri has a crush on JJ.....Yuri has Otabek, who has a crush on JJ too.....maybe the three of them can work something out?





	1. Where It All Started

It began with a skating competition. It wasn’t any special competition, really, and for the skaters, who skated in multiple competitions a year, the events generally blurred together after awhile. Like usual, everyone was a little nervous and had their own way of masking it. JJ, on one hand, was the type to tease when he was nervous. In particular, JJ enjoyed picking on a certain blond-haired, green-eyed Russian. He liked seeing Yuri a little bit flustered, and took pride in knowing when a comment that came from his mouth was to blame. Yuri, on the other hand, masked his nervousness by slathering on a colder, angrier attitude than usual. Needless to say, the two coping strategies did not mesh well.

 

“Ready to watch me win gold, Chaton?” JJ teased, adding his signature wink to make matters worse. The wink immediately sent Yuri over the edge, as evidenced by the scowl that was plastered on his face. In one sudden, fluid movement, Yuri was standing on his tiptoes and trying his best to be in JJ’s face.

 

“Not if I have anything to do with it, asshole,” the feisty blond spat and growled.

 

Before JJ could decide on a comeback, his lips were met with another pair of warm, heavy, angry lips.

 

_Yuri?!_ JJ realized, a wave of shock rolling through him as the reality of what was happening hit him. 

_What. The. Hell._

Yuri unlocked his lips from JJ’s, turned on his heels, and stomped away before JJ could react. As far as Yuri was concerned, if anyone asked about the kiss, it never ever happened and never ever would. JJ, on the other hand, was left awestruck and confused. In his own little world, it was the beginning of the end.

 

JJ had a bad habit of falling hard and fast, and he knew it. Countless moments were spent replaying the kiss in his head in the days that followed. The days became weeks, and the weeks became months. Even when the memory became too fuzzy, JJ still tried desperately for so long to remember what Yuri’s lips tasted like and the way the kiss made him feel.

 

JJ also had a bad habit of letting his feelings simmer too long, which was never helpful. He figured that he didn’t stand a chance with Yuri and that it wouldn’t do any good to admit his feelings. Surely, they would go away eventually. At least he thought they would….. _hoped_ they would. Isabella was a nice distraction, and they would make a lovely couple and a lovely family someday. He could very honestly say he loved her.

 

Yuri, on the other hand, dealt with his feelings slightly differently. He liked to push them aside and essentially pretend they didn’t exist. This somewhat dangerous behavior is what led to the kiss in the first place. If he was being honest with himself, Yuri had harbored a crush on JJ for awhile. It was easy enough to hide those feelings behind their rivalry. It was easy enough to stuff them down and call them something else. _Easy enough…._

 

These stored away feelings also made it easy for Yuri to fall for Otabek. Otabek looked so much like JJ and cared so much for Yuri. Yuri didn’t feel worthy, but he fell anyway. It was nice to have something and someone to latch onto; someone there was no real history with, and someone who didn’t make Yuri want to scream, dance with joy, and throw up all at the same time. Otabek was simple, and he made Yuri feel happy and well cared for. It was very new, but it seemed promising.

 

So, JJ and Yuri did as they figured they should. JJ was a doting boyfriend and cared for Isabella the best he knew how. He even proposed and wanted to plan a future with her. Meanwhile, he did his best to ignore the way Yuri made his heart skip a beat. When he fell asleep at night, he tried hard not to think about what it would be like to kiss Yuri again. Yuri completely devoted himself to skating to the point where he could feel himself drowning and pouring his soul into it. He didn’t have to think when he was on the ice. Then, he met Otabek just before the Grand Prix Final and it felt like maybe there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe a day would come where JJ wouldn’t haunt his dreams or dance through his waking hours.


	2. Fresh Cuts, Old Wounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> JJ reaches out to Yuri after his fallout with Isabella, and Yuri responds better than expected.

One fateful day, JJ’s world came crashing down around him. He was ok with it, really, it would just take some time to get used to. After placing third at the Grand Prix Final, his confidence was pretty shot. He would have easily gotten first place if he hadn’t screwed up so badly. He felt like had let his fans, family, and Isabella down. His mental health took a dip in the months following the competition, and Isabella wasn’t prepared to handle it. They ended up calling the wedding off and breaking up.

 

He didn’t blame her, not at all. In fact, he blamed himself. It was an amicable split, but could they ever really be friends now? Doubtful. JJ just wanted to think about something else….anything that could take his mind away from reality for a bit. Instinctually, he pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts. He paused and lingered over a contact titled “Chaton” before deciding to send a message.

 

_Hey, Chaton, how are you doing?_

JJ didn’t really expect a message back, in fact, he didn’t even remember how he got Yuri’s number. It’s not like they ever talked or texted each other, so it might not even be the right number. He was genuinely surprised when his phone vibrated softly a couple times moments later, and eagerly checked to see if he had truly gotten a response. His jaw dropped when it was, in fact, a text from Yuri, and he had to read it a couple times before accepting it was real.

 

_JJ?? I don’t recall giving you my number…._

_I don’t remember how I got your number either, but I saw your contact info in my phone and decided to see if it was really you….and yes, it’s JJ_

_Uh-huh….sure….so…..what do you want?_

JJ hesitated before replying again. It was a legitimate question…what _did_ he want? Was it completely awful that he was reaching out to an old crush almost as soon as his fiancée had walked out the door…especially since that crush was dating someone else at the moment? JJ bit his bottom lip and then decided on his response.

 

_Honestly? I don’t know….I guess I just had kind of a rough day and felt like reaching out to…someone who might listen?_

_I don’t think I ever gave you the impression I’d be willing to listen….but….are you ok?_

 

JJ felt tears coming, ready to spill over, and he allowed them. He had always thought it was better to accept emotions as they came, feel them briefly, and then let them pass. A couple seconds later, he took a deep breath and then composed his reply.

 

_Isabella and I are through. She finished moving out today…..so….I know I will be ok eventually, but I’m really not ok right now._

_….oh. I’m so sorry, JJ….is there any way I can…I don’t know….help?_

_Are you free for coffee tomorrow? Maybe you and Otabek? I could use some friendly company._

_Yeah…sure! 8:30 tomorrow morning at that café on main street?_

_That sound perfect! Thank you so much…I know we haven’t ever really been friends, but I appreciate this._

Yuri genuinely felt sorry for JJ, but he would be lying if he said that was the only reason he agreed to coffee. He felt a dull ache in his chest that he knew all too well. He still wasn’t over JJ, even though he was with Otabek. It had been several months since their first official date, and things had been going really well. _Leave it to JJ to come crashing back into my life when things are finally going my way_ , Yuri thought to himself, feeling a slight twinge of bitterness as he texted Otabek about the next morning’s plans. _Maybe coffee tomorrow will help me sort out my thoughts_ , he hoped as he turned over, settled deeper into his pillow, and closed his eyes to get some sleep.  


	3. This Unspoken Thing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> JJ, Yuri, and Otabek get coffee....there's a lot left unsaid.

JJ was genuinely surprised at how he felt when he opened his eyes the next morning. He had always been a morning person, but it had certainly been a little while since he had woken up feeling this optimistic. He was still a little mentally exhausted, but that was manageable. He figured coffee with Yuri and Otabek would help clear up some of the muddled thoughts.

 

A small pit formed in JJ’s stomach as he considered the possible outcomes, however. If he still had feelings for Yuri that couldn’t be ignored, what could he do? The answer was nothing, really. JJ wasn’t the type to steal significant others, especially not from someone who he considered a friend. Besides, it’s not like Yuri was ever going to feel the same. JJ figured that Yuri would have said something a long time ago if there were any unspoken feelings. Yuri seemed like the type to go after what he wants and not stop until he gets it. This, in JJ’s mind, was the biggest indication that Yuri simply didn’t harbor any feelings for him. As far as JJ could tell, this was a lose-lose situation all around. He still wanted the company, though, so he still wanted to get coffee with Yuri and Otabek.

 

Meanwhile, Yuri was nothing short of a hot mess. He paced back and forth in his apartment, biting his nails down to the quick as he waited for Otabek to arrive. _What the hell are you thinking?_ Yuri wondered to himself. It wasn’t clear, even to Yuri, who he was asking; JJ? Himself? The universe? All he knew is he wasn’t sure if he was ready to face JJ in such a sociable situation. It was already hard enough to suppress his crush, and there was a chance Otabek could be hurt. Besides, JJ and Isabella had just broken up. Yuri wasn’t ready to be a rebound, even if Otabek wasn’t  in the picture. _Dammit, what am I thinking?_ he screamed internally.  Yuri’s messy string of thoughts were interrupted by a couple light knocks on the door. Yuri took a deep breath to compose himself before opening the door and following Otabek out.

 

JJ greeted Yuri and Otabek with a warm smile, waving to them as he saw them enter the café. Yuri felt his face flush, and he hoped he wasn’t noticeably paler than usual. _Dammit, why is it so hard not to like him? And who in their right mind is so cheerful at this hour_? Yuri wondered to himself as he admired JJ’s smile and the twinkle in his eye that accompanied. Yuri choked down a whimper as they approached the table.

 

“Are you ok?” Otabek asked, eyeing Yuri with concern.

 

“Yeah,” Yuri replied, cleared his throat. “I’m fine.” Otabek’s eyebrows shot up in suspicion.

 

“I promise!” Yuri assured, even though it was kind of a lie.

 

JJ stood up and greeted Otabek with the standard bro-hug as they reached the table. Despite all the internal screaming, Yuri allowed JJ to hug him too. Yuri tried to ignore the whiff of JJ’s cologne that he caught….man, the cologne smelled really good…. _JJ smells good_ ….Yuri also tried to ignore the genuine comfortable warmth of the hug. It felt safe, a lot like hugging Otabek.

 

In the meantime, JJ was having similar thoughts. He tried to ignore how well their two figures complimented each other. JJ loved how Yuri’s head was at the perfect height to be able to rest on his chest….right where Yuri could hear his heartbeat, if the hug were that intimate. JJ tried to ignore how _kiss-able_ Yuri’s neck looked, with his hair pulled back in a messier version of his signature two braids and a ponytail. He forced himself to focus on steadying his breathing as the hug finished and they went to sit down.

 

Overall, getting coffee was a pleasant experience. JJ was grateful for the distraction, and he especially liked that they never asked about Isabella. It seemed to JJ that both Otabek and Yuri genuinely wanted to spend time with him, no strings attached. Yuri was enjoying the company and the conversation as well. Although he wouldn’t admit it, Yuri even came to the realization that JJ is a sweet guy. Although Yuri knew that a handsome _and_ sweet guy was always trouble, he decided he would worry about that later. An hour…maybe two…passed before the trio said goodbye and parted ways. They were all thinking it would be fun to do again soon, but none of them said so in that moment.


	4. Dreams; The Bigger They Are, The Harder The Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> JJ has a Yuri-centric dream a whole month after getting coffee with Otabek and Yuri

Before long, everything felt relatively normal again. A month passed quickly, the sting of the break up wasn’t so harsh anymore, and the mutual crushes had mostly subsided. One random night, however, JJ dreamed he was at a post-competition party. It began with the feeling of a hand brushing against his own.

 

_He looked down in his hand…a room key, huh?....and then toward whoever brushed by so closely; just in time to see Yuri pause, look over his shoulder, and flash a subtle smirk that tempted JJ to follow. The undercut watched Yuri walk away, trying to maintain his cool demeanor and ignore the part of him that was really turned on and eager to chase the blond. After finishing the last couple swigs of his champagne, JJ set the glass aside and quietly slipped out of the event._

_JJ took a deep breath as he stood outside one of the hotel rooms. He carefully double checked that he had the right room before trying the key. He felt nervous flutters in his chest at the thought of….Yuri….he also became aware of how hard his heart was beating. A soft click indicated the key had worked. As JJ entered the dimly lit room, he was greeted with the sight of Yuri, dressed in nothing but one of JJ’s old tee shirts, hair with two braids and pulled back in a ponytail the way JJ loved, sitting up comfortably on the bed._

_“You know seeing you in one of my tee shirts drives me crazy, right?” JJ greeted, no hint of insincerity in his voice._

_“Oh, does it now?” Yuri replied nonchalantly, flirting and flashing that smirk again._

_Without another word, JJ was on the bed next to Yuri and planting a kiss on his lips. JJ would have probably pulled away, but it was clear Yuri wasn’t interested in letting up. They melted together as if it were the most natural thing on earth._

_“Let’s relieve you of this tie, shall we?” Yuri suggested, catching his breath and tugging on the article of clothing. With their foreheads still touching, JJ reached up, loosened his tie, and let it drop on the floor. Knowing full well Yuri wanted more than his tie off, JJ decided to fluster him a bit by leaning in for more kissing._

_“Shirt. Off,” Yuri gasped, reaching for the buttons of JJ’s shirt impatiently. “Now.”_

_Not wanting to frustrate Yuri any longer, JJ helped with the unbuttoning between more sloppy kisses. With JJ now shirtless, Yuri took the opportunity to admire the well-toned, bare skin presented to him. His long, thin fingers gently traced their way down JJ’s sternum and danced across his stomach and sides. Meanwhile, JJ fondly looked Yuri over. He loved it when Yuri took the time to admire him; it made him feel important and wanted. At first, it made JJ a little self-conscious, but it didn’t take him long to understand that Yuri was just learning him and memorizing all the little unique things that JJ himself had never paid attention to._

_After several moments, JJ lifted Yuri’s chin gently. They shared a look before leaning in for another kiss. Suddenly, JJ felt overheated and somewhat uncomfortable. His mind was fuzzy and he knew he needed sleep._

 

                The alarm clock beeped repeatedly, waking JJ out of the dream. His heart sank when he rolled over and realized it had just been a dream. It had felt so real, and it was devastating to lose the memory, even though he hadn’t truly experienced it. JJ squeezed his eyes shut as he took a deep breath and then sat up. It was time to get on with his day, no matter how desperately he wanted to finish that dream. 

 

                After taking care of other things, JJ decided to put in some practice at the skating rink. He was totally prepared to have the rink to himself, because it was usually quiet. He turned a corner and saw a mess of blond hair, however, and JJ immediately panicked. He ducked back behind the corner, feeling his face flush then go warm and red. He was praying that he hadn't been spotted.

 

                “HEY…ASSHOLE!” Yuri shouted, the sound of footsteps approaching telling JJ his cover was blown. JJ stood back up to see Yuri, sporting a scowl and arms folded across his chest.

 

                “What are you doing here…and why did you try to hide from me?” Yuri prodded, angry and impatient as per usual.

 

                “I-I was just leaving,” JJ stammered, making his way back toward the door. He hoped he didn’t look as flustered as he felt.

 

                “You know I don’t really hate you, right?” Yuri called after him, his tone softer than before, prompting JJ to stop and turn around.

 

                “You don’t?” JJ asked, suddenly very confused and not sure exactly what Yuri was getting at.

 

                “No, I don’t,” Yuri answered carefully. “You make stupid jokes, and I can’t stand you sometimes…but I don’t _hate_ you.”

 

                JJ nodded before continuing on the path back to his car. After closing the car door, JJ slumped down in the driver’s seat. He hadn’t even started the car yet, but he needed a few moments. None of what Yuri said made sense. JJ knew he was reading too much into it, and had to remind himself that just because Yuri admitted he didn’t hate JJ didn’t mean he was suddenly in love with him. It was a long, silent car ride home as JJ mulled over his thoughts. Just when he was beginning to get over Yuri….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The updates will probably slow down a little after this....I mostly wanted to give you all enough to get you interested ;) Thank you for reading!


	5. A Spoon Full of Sugar?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Otabek asks Yuri about his feelings toward JJ, leaving Yuri stuck between a rock and a hard place.

                After the awkward run in with JJ at the rink, Yuri managed to get in some practice. From there, he went to Otabek’s for dinner. As awkward as the day had already been, Yuri felt like it might manage to get even more awkward. Otabek was being unusually quiet, which set Yuri on edge.

 

                “Beka….are you ok?” Yuri asked through a sigh as he set his fork down and looked at the man sitting across from him.

 

                “Yeah, I’m ok. How about you?” Otabek replied half-heartedly, hardly looking up from his plate.

 

                “I just feel like you’re being really quiet, but whatever…” Yuri shrugged, picking up his fork again.

 

                “I do have something to ask you,” Otabek continued, causing Yuri to perk up. “And I want you to be totally honest with me….do you have feelings for JJ?” Yuri almost choked on his food and he had to compose himself before answering.

 

                “I-I really don’t know…..maybe?” Yuri stuttered, still having a hard time admitting his feelings. Otabek looked up, eyes full of care and concern.

 

                “Do you think you could try to figure it out, and let me know?” Otabek requested softly. “I’m sure you would agree that harboring feelings for someone other than me would put a bit of a strain on our relationship. I just want to make sure you’re completely happy.”

 

                “I am! I’m very happy!” Yuri protested. Otabek cut him off, indicating it wasn’t anything to argue further about.

 

                “Please just figure it out sooner rather than later, ok Yura? I won’t be upset…I just feel like I deserve to know,” Otabek explained as he stood up to take his dishes to the kitchen. Yuri nodded silently and solemnly as he followed Otabek’s lead and helped clean up the dishes before going home.

 

                Yuri tossed and turned, unable to sleep that night. He had far too many thoughts swimming around to be able to get relaxed.

 

                _Do I have feelings for JJ? Honestly?_

_What if I do?_

_What about Beka?_

_……JJ always smells really good….._

_……And those eyes….and…..well, basically everything about him._

_But….is he worth losing Beka over?_

_What if JJ doesn’t even feel the same way?_

_I mean….what about the way he acted earlier today? Trying to hide from me? What the hell does that even mean?_

_Why would he hide from me?_

_What am I gonna do?_

Yuri felt hot tears start rolling down his face, and he let out a soft whimper. He knew the only real solution at this point was to face the situation head on, but the thought of that caused Yuri’s stomach to do flips. Yuri’s face flushed, and he felt like throwing up. He got out of bed and plodded over to the restroom. He splashed his face with water a couple times, dried himself off, and then took a glass of water back into the bedroom with him. He was feeling a little more relaxed now, so hopefully he could get the sleep he needed. Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day.


	6. The Truth Comes Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuri and JJ have a much needed talk, but it doesn't go the way either of them planned.

Yuri woke up to the alarm he had set, and a few moments of blissful ignorance passed before he remembered. His throat went dry as he thought about how the day might play out. He absentmindedly gnawed on a fingernail as he grabbed his phone and composed a text message.

 

                _Hey, JJ….can we meet up today? Just the two of us?_

_Are you asking me on a date? ;)_ The response came several seconds later.

                Yuri rolled his eyes. Of freaking course JJ would be flirting with him at an inconvenient time.

_JJ….I’m being serious….we need to talk._

_Ummmm….ok. How about that diner downtown for lunch? Also….should I be worried?_

_We’ll talk at lunch….noon, and don’t be late_

                JJ was pleasantly surprised when Yuri had texted him. The pleasantness quickly went downhill with those four fateful words, however. _We need to talk_ ….those words hardly ever indicate something good. Nevertheless, there was a big part of JJ that was ecstatic that Yuri actually wanted to spend time with him. He tried not to think about the fact that it might be too good to be true. He would just have to go and find out what Yuri wanted to talk about.

 

                Yuri was on the verge of having a panic attack when it came time to head to the diner. He was considering cancelling and telling Otabek that he had no feelings for JJ; it would be easy to go back to pretending. Otabek was too smart for that, though, and Yuri was a bad liar. Somehow, Otabek knew what Yuri hadn’t quite been able to admit to himself, so there was no way of hiding it. In fact, avoiding the conversation with JJ would probably leave Yuri’s relationship with Otabek in shambles. The desire to keep Otabek happy outweighed the uncertainty of lunch with JJ, so Yuri took a deep breath and forced himself out the door.

 

                JJ was there before Yuri (the Canadian was known to be a very prompt person) and greeted Yuri with that famous wide, toothy smile. God, Yuri hated that he loved that smile. JJ, in the meantime, was trying to remain as optimistic as possible. He was still confused, but at least he was getting some time with Yuri. After a brief greeting, Yuri got right down to business.

 

                “Ok….JJ. I asked you here to talk,” he began.

 

                “What’s on your mind?” JJ asked, his voice full of sincerity.

 

                “Well…I guess….ummm….I….I think I might have feelings for you,” Yuri managed to choke out. JJ felt his heart rise to his throat. His heart was also beating really fast, which made everything seem suddenly fuzzy.

 

                “Oh?” JJ squeaked.

 

                “But….I have Otabek,” Yuri continued. The heart that was previously in JJ’s throat dropped to his stomach, and his head started to spin.

 

                “Oh….” JJ suddenly felt very small as the point Yuri had just tried to make washed over him. His stomach had knotted, and he was still feeling light headed. He carefully took a couple sips of water, hoping it might help.

 

                “You know what I’m trying to say, right?” Yuri confirmed gently. All JJ could do was nod.

 

                “Are you ok?” Yuri asked, genuinely confused about JJ’s response.

 

                “Well, it’s just that….I kinda have feelings for you too. I thought I’d be over it by now, but I’m not,” JJ admitted. Now Yuri’s head was spinning. This isn’t the way he expected the conversation to go. He was expecting to let JJ know, and then being allowed to move on.

 

                “So…what do we do?” Yuri asked, unsure if he was actually asking or just thinking aloud.

 

                “Well….it’s like you said. You have Otabek,” JJ shrugged.

 

                “Yeah….ugh, I’m so confused,” Yuri put his face in his hands, the hurt and confusion painfully evident in his voice.

 

                “I….I think we should give ourselves time to think about this. Do you want to continue this conversation at another time?” JJ suggested.

 

                “Yeah, I think that’s a good idea,” Yuri agreed.

 

                The two males said goodbye, and walked away looking dazed and confused. This was more complicated than either of them had anticipated.


	7. Reaching Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuri talks to Otabek and JJ talks to Isabella......Otabek makes an interesting confession.

                 Almost immediately, JJ decided he had to talk to someone. It felt a bit weird to be talking to Isabella about this stuff, but they had maintained some contact since the break-up, and JJ didn’t know who else to talk to. He bit down hard on his lower lip as he heard the ringing.

 

                “Uh…hi JJ,” Isabella answered, the greeting coming out a little like a question.

 

                “Hi Izzy,” JJ greeted back. “Can I….talk to you about something?”

 

                “Yeah, sure, what’s going on?” Isabella offered, prepared to listen.

 

                “This is probably going to be a bit awkward, but…..um….Yuri admitted he has feelings for me today,” JJ was now gnawing on his bottom lip.

 

                “Wow….and…what did you say?” Isabella asked, having some ideas of where the conversation was headed.

 

                “I told him I have feelings for him too…but he’s with Otabek.”

 

                “So, what exactly can I do for you?” Isabella pressed.

 

                “I don’t know, honestly. I’m just so confused….and hurt,” JJ admitted, holding back tears.

 

                “I really think you just need some time to think it over,” Isabella answered. “You were always good at figuring things out once you took a step back.”

 

                “Yeah…thank you Izzy. I really appreciate it,” JJ agreed.

 

                “No problem. Goodnight, JJ. Get some rest,” Isabella, always the motherly type, ended the conversation.

 

                JJ followed Isabella’s advice and went straight to bed. Fortunately, he drifted to sleep quickly. There was still so much to think about, but it could wait until morning.

           

                 Yuri, on the other hand, sat in silence for two full hours before picking up the phone to call Otabek. He knew he needed to talk to him, it just took that long to sort through his thoughts and accept what had happened earlier. The blond nervously chewed on a fingernail as he listened to the rings. 

 

                “Yura!” Otabek greeted warmly. Just the sound of Otabeks voice lifted Yuri’s spirits.

 

                “Hey, Beka,” Yuri responded somewhat cautiously.

 

                “How are you doing?” Otabek prompted, suspecting Yuri had something to say.

 

                “I’m doing ok. I….uh….talked to JJ today,” Yuri admitted.

 

                “How did it go?” Otabek continued. Yuri smiled, appreciative that Otabek knew just what questions to ask to pull the words out of him.

 

                “It turns out I do have feelings for him, and he has feelings for me. However, he said he wasn’t interested in coming between you and me, and we decided to continue the conversation at another time.”

 

                “Ok. Well, you said JJ isn’t going to come between us…but are you ok with that?” Otabek asked.

 

                “Of course, I’m ok with that, idiot! I love you, Beka, no matter what my feelings for JJ are,” Yuri protested. He was almost offended Otabek would ask such a thing.

 

                “I only ask because I could potentially have feelings for JJ too.”

 

                “Wait…what?!” Yuri felt his heart skip a beat, and he tried his best not to choke. “What would that even mean? Wh-I’m…very, very confused right now…”

 

                “I don’t know what it could mean. Maybe I should let you think things over before giving you more to think about,” Otabek decided.

 

                “Yeah….I agree. Thank you, Beka…I love you.”

 

                “I love you too, Yura. Goodnight.” Yuri hung up the phone and breathed a sigh of relief. For the first time that day, everything felt normal. Yuri decided to call it a night before anything else could happen to ruin the mood or make matters more confusing. 


	8. Puzzle Pieces Falling Into Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuri and JJ wake up to some texts from Otabek....they are given some direction, but still have so many questions to answer.

JJ was surprised to have a few texts from Otabek when he woke up. Since Otabek was hardly someone to send multiple texts, JJ didn’t even have to read the messages to guess that Otabek might have been drunk or really upset. There were no missed calls, so it didn’t appear to be an emergency. With a bit of hesitation, he read the texts to see what Otabek wanted. It was clear that Otabek had, in fact, been drunk based on the string of mistyped messages. Fortunately, JJ was able to translate them pretty well.

 

                _So, you like my Yura, huh?_

 

                _Shit, I’m in trouble,_ JJ thought before reading the next message.

 

                _I like Yura too….a lot._

_I also like you, which has always been confusing to me_

_What are you doing right now, JJ?_

_I really can’t sleep_

_My head is spinning and I feel kinda dizzy_

JJ had to read the messages several times before comprehending exactly what Otabek had confessed. He decided to call Yuri to try to get some of the missing pieces to this puzzle.

 

                “Uh, hi JJ,” Yuri greeted, sounding pleasantly surprised to get the call.

 

                “Morning, Chaton….did you by chance talk to Otabek last night?” JJ jumped right in to the matter at hand.

 

                “Yeah, I talked to him before I went to bed. I also got some….texts….from him last night after I fell asleep,” Yuri answered, hesitating on the word texts, trying to decide if he wanted to elaborate or not.

 

                “I got some texts from him too….is it just me, or was he drunk?” JJ speculated.

 

                “I think he was,” Yuri answered honestly, relieved he didn’t have to explain further. “Do I dare ask what he sent you?”

 

                “Well, mostly he was gushing about you and telling me he likes me….which is why I called. I have no idea how to interpret that,” JJ admitted.

 

                “You might want to sit down for this one,” Yuri suggested.

 

                “Go on,” JJ insisted after taking a seat in his favorite big, brown recliner.

 

                “The reason I talked to you yesterday was because Beka suggested I talk to you. He could tell I have feelings for you, and effectively made the point that he deserves to know about this…thing….between you and me. Wanting to appease him, I talked to you and then reported back after I had a little time to think about our conversation. In that phone call, he admitted he might have feelings for you too. After that, he agreed to let me think things through and I went to bed,”

 

                “So, the logical assumption is he had something to drink after you hung up and decided to drunk text us,” JJ concluded.

 

                “I guess so…” Yuri replied, not sure what else to say.

 

`               “Do you think he’s seriously suggesting what I think he’s suggesting?” JJ broke the awkward silence after several long moments.

 

                “Maybe, maybe not,” Yuri shrugged through the phone.

 

                “If he was, what would you think?” JJ pressed, sure that Yuri would know what he meant.

 

                “I think it might make things less complicated for me, if I’m being honest, but we’d have to work out a lot of things,” Yuri answered.

 

                “Yeah,” JJ agreed. “It won’t be easy. For the record, I’d want to take things really slowly anyway. It hasn’t been long since Isabella left, after all.”

 

                “I’m not an idiot, idiot,” Yuri agreed, his tone genuine and caring despite the name calling. “Of course we’d figure that all out.”

 

                “Gosh….this is actually happening,” JJ noted in awe.

 

                “Yeah, yeah….can we get some breakfast or something and check on Otabek together?” Yuri suggested.

 

                “I’ll meet you at the bakery in 10,” JJ agreed.

 

                Once they had met up, they found they were having a hard time deciding what to get.

 

                “Ugh….since we can’t decide on anything let’s get some of everything,” Yuri suggested, mostly sarcastically.

 

                “That’s actually a good idea,” JJ pondered, not recognizing Yuri wasn’t serious. “How about we put out a full spread at Otabek’s….he’s probably still asleep, and you have a key to his place, right?” Yuri’s face lit up, actually loving JJ’s idea and starting to figure out how this would work.

 

                They left the bakery with an assortment of pastries and bagels, and they made a quick stop for eggs and some fruit before going to Otabek’s.

 

                “You know, JJ, you aren’t half bad,” Yuri admitted, smiling genuinely for the first time that JJ could recall.

 

                “You aren’t half bad yourself,” JJ replied, giving his famous half-smile and wink. Yuri rolled his eyes in response, but continued smiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to those who are still reading and commenting <3 it does wonders for my motivation! You guys are the best!


	9. Questions, Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> JJ and Yuri check on Otabek, and the three start their much needed conversation over breakfast

The two entered the apartment quietly, noticing how still and silent it was.

 

                “He’s definitely still asleep,” JJ whispered. “How about you go wake him up, and I’ll worry about the food.” Yuri nodded and made his way to the bedroom.

 

                “Beka,” Yuri whispered, gently knocking on the doorframe a couple times. “It’s time to wake up. JJ and I have breakfast.”

 

                “You and JJ?” Otabek asked through a groan as he rolled over to face the door.

 

                “Yeah…we figured we had a lot to talk about. Plus, we thought you might be nursing a decent sized hangover.”

 

                “You got that right,” Otabek agreed, massaging the bridge of his nose before sitting up. As Otabek sat up, he felt the pain of his dull headache suddenly exponentiate, and the groan he let out was indication enough to Yuri that it was painful.

 

                “I’ll get some water,” Yuri announced, heading into the bathroom and bringing back the promised drink.

 

                Yuri sat on the bed next to Otabek as he slowly sipped the water. Yuri couldn’t help but observe his boyfriend; partly out of habit, partly out of concern.

 

                “You know, I’ve never seen you drunk,” Yuri noted, trying to prompt some conversation.

 

                “I had a lot I wasn’t ready to think about just yet,” Otabek admitted somewhat sheepishly.

 

                “Did it have to do with JJ?” Yuri prodded.

 

                “You know I’d never hurt you, right?” Otabek asked, turning to face Yuri in order to look him in the eyes.

 

                “I do,” Yuri assured, not breaking eye contact. He saw how much Otabek was struggling with this, and he immediately recognized it in himself as well.

 

                “I just don’t know-“ Otabek tried to explain, despite a loss of words.

 

                “We’ll figure this out, let’s just have breakfast right now,” Yuri suggested.

 

                The two made their way to the kitchen, where JJ was finishing putting the food together. He greeted them with that damn smile like usual, and Yuri was suddenly filled with a strange sense of comfort. There was a lot of conversation that had to happen, which left a sinking feeling in his chest, but he also decided this could be very easy to get used to.

 

                “Good morning, Otabek….how are you doing?” JJ asked.

 

                “Um, I’m doing alright. I think I’ll be even better after eating,” Otabek answered, his head still pounding.

 

                “Take a plate,” Yuri instructed. Without another word, the three skaters made up their breakfasts and sat down together. The awkwardness and tension was a little overwhelming for Yuri, who decided to break the silence.

 

                “First things first; is this actually happening, and what exactly is ‘this’?”

 

                “I’m willing to make this work,” JJ answered after swallowing a mouthful of bagel.

 

                “I am too,” Otabek agreed, his eyebrows furrowed as he studied the contents of his plate, mostly pushing them around with his fork.

 

                “That didn’t really answer my second question,” Yuri noted.

 

                “Dating,” Otabek threw the word out there, knowing it couldn’t be taken back. “The three of us would be dating.” JJ just shrugged and nodded in agreement.

 

                “So….ground rules,” Yuri continued. “Do we want to be public about it?”

 

                “I’m happy to take a back seat in the public eye, since you and Otabek are already public,” JJ proposed.

 

                “I wouldn’t be interested in keeping you a secret forever,” Otabek countered. “Let’s agree to try this out for a few months and then talk about going public.”

 

                “I like that idea,” Yuri agreed.

 

                “You guys wouldn’t care about what people would say about us?” JJ asked.

 

                “Who freaking cares about everyone else?” Yuri countered.

 

                “We’d work through it,” Otabek assured.

 

                JJ felt a huge weight he didn’t know he had lift off him as he breathed a sigh of relief. He looked between Yuri and Otabek, eyes full of gratitude.

 

                “You know, I really appreciate you guys,” JJ admitted.

 

                “Don’t get all sentimental on us, asshole,” Yuri rolled his eyes, but he was secretly grateful too.


End file.
